Barely 24 hours after declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu has met with Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), the appointed sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.
Ibas arrived at the Presidential Villa’s forecourt at approximately 12:48 p.m. on Wednesday, where he was received for a meeting with the President.
On Tuesday, Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
The President cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the emergency declaration.
The political crisis in Rivers State is largely attributed to a power tussle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, currently serving as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of his directive, Tinubu appointed Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, to manage the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored.
In his national address, Tinubu stated, “By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.”
He further noted that the state of emergency does not impact the judicial arm of Rivers State, which will continue to function according to its constitutional mandate.
The President emphasized that Ibas, as the sole administrator, will oversee the state’s governance to ensure peace, security, and stability while collaborating with the Federal Executive Council and other relevant authorities.
Ibas’s assumption of office is expected to mark a significant step toward stabilizing the state amid the prevailing political unrest.
